Garmin Pilot for Android -- Tech Support, Tips, Tricks

TMetzinger said:
I've seen that download issue pop up, but it's always indicated a problem with the DigCyclone data servers. Lots of folks try to update when they get the notification, often 10+ days ahead of the next cycle start date. This can cause overload on the servers.
Click to expand...

Well, I have tried multiple times to update the data and have gotten the same result. My iPad version was updated without any difficulty. I will try a few more times over the next few days and see what happens.



Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
 
Since I bought the Nexus 7 I have had a chance to review differences between my iPad version and the Nexus version. I will say that the iPad version seems more advanced.

I found another difference this evening while playing with the iPad version. Under the setup menu, there is a linkage to the fly Garmin site. This site holds the data for my database subscriptions to my airplanes GPS. It is nice to see the actual dates when the cycles are due. The Nexus version does not have this screen available.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
 
For sure Garmin is still playing catch up in the Android version of Pilot -- but they've come a very long ways in just 6 months, and the rate of change has really accelerated as more and more people pick up Android tablets.

I find it interesting to hear about the differences between the same app on the different OS platforms. It makes you wonder what sort of work environment exists at Garmin, that they can apparently communicate so little between developers.
 
General Android question: Does my S3, or future Nexus 7, require the temp files to be cleaned out like a PC does? In other words, do all the downloaded attachments from emails etc. clog up space somewhere? I rarely download them because I didn't know, which obviously takes away from the functionality of the device. I clean my PC weekly and there are a hell of a lot of files to be deleted..... also cleans up a lot of registry errors - does the Android operating system have those too?
Thanks!
 
aviatingfool said:
General Android question: Does my S3, or future Nexus 7, require the temp files to be cleaned out like a PC does? In other words, do all the downloaded attachments from emails etc. clog up space somewhere? I rarely download them because I didn't know, which obviously takes away from the functionality of the device. I clean my PC weekly and there are a hell of a lot of files to be deleted..... also cleans up a lot of registry errors - does the Android operating system have those too?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

I haven't seen that as an issue.
 
aviatingfool said:
General Android question: Does my S3, or future Nexus 7, require the temp files to be cleaned out like a PC does? In other words, do all the downloaded attachments from emails etc. clog up space somewhere? I rarely download them because I didn't know, which obviously takes away from the functionality of the device. I clean my PC weekly and there are a hell of a lot of files to be deleted..... also cleans up a lot of registry errors - does the Android operating system have those too?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Android in general seems to be a cleaner OS than Windows. Windows seems to leave trash files everywhere, over time, while Android does not. Or, at least, I don't notice it.

Another nice thing about Android: Doing a factory reset, if needed, is child's play because all of your apps are "remembered" in the Cloud, and automatically reinstall themselves. A vast difference from doing a clean reinstall of Windoze!
 
What "type" aircraft are they looking for to save a new aircraft?

Whoops! SEL worked!
 
As I sit here in Fredericksburg this morning, trying to see if a flight to South Padre Island is doable, I find myself using Garmin Pilot's weather features more and more for flight planning.

However, the one thing I need in order to make this flight is a knowledge of tomorrow's weather along the coast -- which means Prog Charts. Access to these are sorely missing from inside of Garmin Pilot, unless I'm missing something.

Can anyone recommend a good Prog Chart app?
 
Jay Honeck said:
As I sit here in Fredericksburg this morning, trying to see if a flight to South Padre Island is doable, I find myself using Garmin Pilot's weather features more and more for flight planning.

However, the one thing I need in order to make this flight is a knowledge of tomorrow's weather along the coast -- which means Prog Charts. Access to these are sorely missing from inside of Garmin Pilot, unless I'm missing something.

Can anyone recommend a good Prog Chart app?
Click to expand...

iPad version has them... These are the little things that bother me about the Nexus version. Wish they would get caught up.

qajyvajy.jpg
 
Jay Honeck said:
As I sit here in Fredericksburg this morning, trying to see if a flight to South Padre Island is doable, I find myself using Garmin Pilot's weather features more and more for flight planning.

However, the one thing I need in order to make this flight is a knowledge of tomorrow's weather along the coast -- which means Prog Charts. Access to these are sorely missing from inside of Garmin Pilot, unless I'm missing something.

Can anyone recommend a good Prog Chart app?
Click to expand...

AOPA's FlyQ phone app (not the EFB product) works well for that. I requested the Imagery be added to the 7" product soon. It's the biggest hole they have in the sub-10" feature set.
 
LDJones said:
AOPA's FlyQ phone app (not the EFB product) works well for that. I requested the Imagery be added to the 7" product soon. It's the biggest hole they have in the sub-10" feature set.
Click to expand...

Where did you submit your request? I need to ask them to add Q routes.
 
Marauder said:
iPad version has them... These are the little things that bother me about the Nexus version. Wish they would get caught up.

qajyvajy.jpg
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's just weird that Garmin would put out two such different apps under the same name, with the only difference being the OS.

It's pretty lame, actually. We deserve better from Garmin.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Yeah, it's just weird that Garmin would put out two such different apps under the same name, with the only difference being the OS.

It's pretty lame, actually. We deserve better from Garmin.
Click to expand...

Actually, it's the same product with different optimizations based on screen size. My guess is the same feature set shows up on an iPhones as a DROID. The 7 caught them off guard. They defaulted to the phone feature set for anything less than 10". They've had to rethink that with the arrival of the 7 and have been slowly working more of the feature set into the mid-sized form factor.
 
Last edited:
I was going to post a separate PIREP for the long-awaited, repeatedly delayed Asus Nexus 7 dock -- but it is, after all, just a DOCK. And I figure anyone who cares about the Nexus 7 is here, so...

I finally got the dock that should have been available from Day One (July 2012). It utilizes the four unidentified gold "pogo pins" on the landscape side of the N7 to charge, rather than the USB port.

This has two obvious advantages. First, it lays the unit in landscape mode while connected to power, which is the natural orientation for watching video. You can now watch feature length movies without regard to battery life.

Second, it frees up the USB port for other things, like a thumb drive. Although I haven't needed more storage space, some have mentioned needing more. This let's you charge AND access a thumb drive, whereas you previously had an either/or proposition.

A third advantage is audio output. There is a jack on the dock for audio output, which can be plugged into speakers of your choice. It uses two of the pogo pins on the N7 for audio output.

The dock itself is solidly built, and very heavy, which is nice. Dropping the unit in is SO much easier than using my old aftermarket dock. Finding that damned USB port (without breaking it) every night was an adventure I will not miss.

One major oversight: the unit does NOT come with a power cord! For $40, I expect a power cord. Worse, I ran into the infamous "not enough output" problem when I plugged in a random USB charger, and left the unit to charge overnight. By morning it was only at 57%. I looked, and the transformer on that cord only output 500 milliamps -- what you need for a cell phone. I swapped it for one that put out 850 milliamps, and the unit charged to 100% overnight.

When you drop the unit into the dock, it automatically converts to a big digital clock, ideal for bedside use. I can even read it without my glasses.

All in all, it's a nice addition to the Nexus 7.
 
He seems to have said $40, but the ones I find are 60......?
 
The only places that have them right now are private businesses selling them at a markup. B&H and others had them for $40 but the only source I found with any is a third party via amazon who wants $60.

What I can't figure out is why Asus isn't just cranking out a ton of them. They're dirt simple, in fact I would be surprised if there's any electronics in the dock at all. I bet that the four pins are ground, +5V, and left and right audio signal. The presence of 5V on the pogo pin is probably what tells the unit it's docked.

So the dock itself is probably just plastic, a 3.5mm and USB connector, four pins and some wire.

That's my guess, anyway.
 
All,

I emailed the support line available under "Help". In 2 days I got a personal response to my suggestion / question. Jay, fire them an email with your program charts suggestion.


Hello Geico,

Thank you for your feedback and for using Garmin Pilot.

There are a couple of areas where you can view that information.

If you go into the Trip Planning area and look at the Nav Log for the trip, you can change the field for the time from ETA, to ETE Leg, to ETE remaining, so that data is available there.
Also, in the Navigation bar you can select ETE Dest or ETE Next.

If you have any problems finding that data plaese let me know.

Russ Knuth Aviation Support
 
Garmin just released version 2.3.2 -- ANOTHER update. Amazing.

It supposedly fixes "user reported crashes" -- of which I did not notice any in my last 6 hours of flying.
 
Does the Nexus version have airport runway traffic-patterns left/right yet? I mentioned this to Garmin about 8 months for the ipad version and its still not there.
 
mirage00 said:
Does the Nexus version have airport runway traffic-patterns left/right yet? I mentioned this to Garmin about 8 months for the ipad version and its still not there.
Click to expand...

Not that I've seen. That really is a stupid oversight on Garmin's part.
 
Have to traffic pattern info from the sectional. What I want to be able to do is long press on an MOA, alert area, etc., and get specific info about when those areas are in use, what altitude, etc.
 
Funkeruski said:
Have to traffic pattern info from the sectional. What I want to be able to do is long press on an MOA, alert area, etc., and get specific info about when those areas are in use, what altitude, etc.
Click to expand...

Obviously that will require ADS-B support eventually to have in flight. But once supported, why even required any pilot action? Just color code hot ones like they do with TFRs.
 
I e-mailed Garmin about the trip planning things that other commentors had mentioned. Things like why does it default to IFR and 1000ft each time you enter the screen even though you just set it to VFR and 3500?

I got this response:

vvvvv
Thank you for you feedback and for using garmin Pilot.
*
The developers are currently working on completely overhauling the Trip Planning page.* We will have an update out in a couple of months that should make the Trip Planning part of the application easier to use.
 
Matthew said:
I e-mailed Garmin about the trip planning things that other commentors had mentioned. Things like why does it default to IFR and 1000ft each time you enter the screen even though you just set it to VFR and 3500?

I got this response:

vvvvv
Thank you for you feedback and for using garmin Pilot.
*
The developers are currently working on completely overhauling the Trip Planning page.* We will have an update out in a couple of months that should make the Trip Planning part of the application easier to use.
Click to expand...

Cool beans. That will be great.

I used Pilot on our round robin, multi day flight from Mustang Beach-Fredericksburg-Brownsville/South Padre-Mustang Beach flight, and loved it. It is everything I want in in-flight navigation, and SO much nicer than the Lowrance 2000c it replaced on the yoke.

Our 496 has been reduced to "backup" status. It's just a great setup on the Nexus 7, now that Garmin has worked the bugs out, and added most of our suggested features.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Garmin just released version 2.3.2 -- ANOTHER update. Amazing.

It supposedly fixes "user reported crashes" -- of which I did not notice any in my last 6 hours of flying.
Click to expand...

Guilty as charged your Honor. Mine would periodically just shut down and go away. Annoying to say the least.
 
Matthew said:
I e-mailed Garmin about the trip planning things that other commentors had mentioned. Things like why does it default to IFR and 1000ft each time you enter the screen even though you just set it to VFR and 3500?

I got this response:

vvvvv
Thank you for you feedback and for using garmin Pilot.
*
The developers are currently working on completely overhauling the Trip Planning page.* We will have an update out in a couple of months that should make the Trip Planning part of the application easier to use.
Click to expand...

If they enhance this portion, I think they have a solid winner all the way around. I still like how ForeFlight does trip planning better.
 
Marauder said:
If they enhance this portion, I think they have a solid winner all the way around. I still like how ForeFlight does trip planning better.
Click to expand...


Yep, i may stop complaining if they get this right.. There is still more button pushing than is really required, but it is a Garmin product after all :)
 
I got a response with a tracking number and saying they were working on adding Q routes to the database.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Our 496 has been reduced to "backup" status. It's just a great setup on the Nexus 7, now that Garmin has worked the bugs out, and added most of our suggested features.
Click to expand...

Jay, I'm almost ready to do the same with my 396 and jump on a Nexus but.... I wonder how I'll check baro settings at local airports as I approach them, check winds aloft around me to pick the best altitude, look ahead for the METARS at airports to verify my "on top" will soon end.....and of course, listen to smooth jazz on Watercolors XM....:yikes:
I know ADS-B is required to get most weather and that adds $800 to the package -how 'bout these other issues? Would really like to make the move but am mentally glued to the old 396.....
Thanks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top